Government policies such as Prevent are shutting down freedom of thought and freedom of speech. Muslim communities remain under surveillance and are stigmatised on a daily basis, while many opportunities to think critically are being curbed.

This event explored why we need radical thinking more than ever, learning from Ottoman and English rebels, and how different forms of dissent play a practical role in shaping and changing societies.

Presenting:

How can unheard or alternatives narratives and stories be a form of dissent? Are there different forms of rebellion? - A conversation with renowned historians and academics Caroline Finkel and Martin Rose, Islington councillor Caroline Russell and Dr. Sariya Cheruvallil-Contractor, research fellow in faith and education, on how preventing critical thinking halts exchange between societies, referencing historical and present-day examples

Can puppetry challenge power? - School pupils from Walthamstow in partnership with artist and puppeteer Ellyn Stokes perform their own short pieces in the style of Karagoz shadow puppetry

Why did coffee help bring about revolutions? - Actor and storyteller Alia Alzougbi of HEC Global Learning takes on different characters to tell the story